Treatment planning and key points in clinical procedure of implant overdenture for edentulous patients

Abstract

Many randomized controlled clinical trials have reported that implant overdentures provided edentulous people with better retention, stability, and masticatory performance than conventional complete dentures did. The design of implant overdentures for edentulous jaws should be based on comprehensive consideration of factors such as anatomic structure, alveolar bone resorption, inter-arch distance, choice of implant number/distribution and suprastructure. During the clinical procedure, timing of attachment connection, choice of impression technique, methods of maxilla-mandibular relationship registration, wax-up try-in, and prostheses delivery should be determined according to the type of implant overdentures. The appropriate choices and conduction of the above-mentioned procedures can guarantee the long-term success of the prostheses. This review elaborates on the clinical significance, treatment design, key steps in clinical procedure of implant overdenture, and summarizes follow-up and maintenance following denture delivery.